Saturday: Hampton Roads braces for Hurricane Sandy

(NOAA/National Weather…)

October 27, 2012|Daily Press

8:30 p.m. Update: Elizabeth River Crossings, the company that manages the Downtown and Midtown tunnels, has announced that due to predicted tide levels the Midtown Tunnel will likely be closed before 9 a.m. on Sunday.

Newport News will open Warwick High School as a shelter at 8 a.m. Sunday. Warwick High is located at 51 Copeland Lane.

The city has partially activated its Emergency Operations Center to monitor weather conditions over night. The city will fully activate the center at 7 a.m. Sunday.

Citizens call call the center at 269-2912.

7 p.m. UPDATE: The Virginia National Guard is staging in Hampton Roads and other parts of the state to assist with possible Hurricane Sandy recovery operations, a news release said.

The Army Guard has not been assigned a specific operation, but personnel are in Hampton Roads, Richmond and Fredericksburg with equipment "capable of performing, high water transport, debris reduction, reconnaissance patrols," the release said.

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6 p.m. UPDATE: Hurricane Sandy has prompted Mathews County officials to declare a local state of emergency and order a mandatory evacuation for residents living in low lying areas.

A shelter will open at 8 a.m. Sunday at Thomas Hunter Middle School, according to a county news release.

York County has launched an emergency preparedness website, www.readyyorkcountyvirginia.com

The "Ready York" website will contain a variety of emergency preparedness information and storm-ready information, according to a York County news release.

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4:45 p.m. UPDATE: The College of William and Mary and Old Dominion University have canceled classes Monday because of Hurricane Sandy.

ODU officials said the campus will be closed Sunday and remain closed Monday.

At William and Mary, all activities after noon Sunday have been canceled through Monday, according to a news release. The university's residence halls will remain open, as will two of its dining halls, the release said.

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3 p.m. UPDATE: Gov. Bob McDonnell said state residents will begin to feel the full effects of Hurricane Sandy on Sunday as the storm moves up the Mid-Atlantic.

In a telephone briefing with the media, McDonnell said the Virginians should expect to experience wind and rain from the storm through Tuesday whether the hurricane makes landfall in Delaware or New Jersey.

State officials are closely monitoring the storm. However, there are no plans for lane reversals or evacuations, McDonnell said.

Virginia Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Charlie Kilpatrick said the agencyis considering closing the Midtown Tunnel to prevent flooding from the storm.

VDOT will continue to monitor wind speeds, debris and waves before deciding whether or not close bridges such as the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel and Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel.

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2:30 p.m. UPDATE: The cities of Newport News and Poquoson have declared local state of emergencies in response to Hurricane Sandy.

Newport News has not yet opened a shelter, but it is pre-positioning equipment and supplies for one if it is needed later, a City of Newport News release said. The city plans to partially open its emergency operations center at 7 p.m. Saturday to monitor weather conditions overnight and through Sunday.

In Poquoson, city officials are recommending that residents living in areas routinely prone to floods or damage from high winds to start now securing loose items in their yard and moving their vehicles to higher ground, according to the city's website.

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1:30 p.m UPDATE: Hampton City Manager Mary Bunting has declared a state of emergency for the City of Hampton Saturday as Hurricane Sandy made slow creep into the Mid-Atlantic.

The declaration was made at about noon, a city news release said.

Residents in low-lying areas should be preparing to evacuate, the release said. City officials have identified flood prone areas as the Grandview/Beach Road, Harris Creek, Buckroe Beach, Southwest Branch of the Back River, Hampton River, Tidemill Creek, Indian Creek and Newmarkert Creek areas.

The city plans to open a shelter at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Phenix School located at 1061 Big Bethel Road, in addition to a pet friendly and an overflow shelter at Bethel High School, 1067 Big Bethel Road.

Residents should bring medications or special needs equipment, air mattresses, blankets and pillows, diapers, toys games and books for children, in addition to food and water. Owners who take pets to Bethel High School should bring a crate or cage for them, in addition to food, water, shot records and medications.

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1 p.m. UPDATE: Gloucester County Schools will be closed Monday for everyone except for essential employees because of Hurricane Sandy.